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Tony Bennett picked as Florida's new education chief

The Florida State Board of Education selected former Indiana schools chief Tony Bennett as the state’s new education commissioner Wednesday.

Bennett was one of three finalists for Florida’s top education post, which was left vacant when Gerard Robinson stepped down in July.

“This is a fantastic result … our teachers should be celebrating,” said Gary Chartrand, the board’s chairman and the head of the Jacksonville-based Chartrand Foundation.

Bennett has served as Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction since 2009. He lost his recent reelection bid.

He received unanimous approval from board members but faced heat from some public education advocates.

During the application process, Bennett has faced criticism from some groups for what they deem a reliance on standardized testing, an aspect also opposed by many Indiana teachers.

On Tuesday, a letter signed by members of nine groups called on Gov. Rick Scott to step in and reject each of the three finalists because “apparently endorse an extreme reform agenda that does not represent our vision of public education.”

Board member Roberto Martinez said he liked Bennett’s recognition that teachers and principals – not education commissioners – do the real teaching.

“The work really gets done at the classroom level,” he said. “I think he understands that.”

Check back with Jacksonville.com for more and read Thursday's Time-Union.